The following invention relates to the application of binding adhesive to pages passing through a printer. More particularly, though not exclusively, the invention relates to the application of a strip or strips of binding adhesive to a page receiving text and/or images from a pagewidth print head as the page passes through a printer.
It is well known to print individual pages of a volume to be bound, then to place all of the printed pages into a stack, to then crop one or more edges of the stack and to then bind the pages together by applying a binding adhesive to an edge of the stack of pages. This is a time consuming and labour-intensive process.
It would be more efficient to provide pre-cut, uniformly sized pages, to print one or both surfaces of each page and to provide a strip of binding adhesive to one or both surfaces of each page adjacent the edge to be bound, to accurately place the printed and pre-glued pages in a stack, and to press the pages adjacent the spine so that the adhesive binds the page edges together.
It would also be desirable to provide an apparatus and method for applying a strip or strips of binding adhesive to a page as it is passing through a printer.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for application of binding adhesive to pages passing through a printer.
There is disclosed herein apparatus comprising:
a page conveying path adapted for unstacked pages to be conveyed therealong so that each page, while being conveyed along the entire path, has only one edge which constitutes a leading edge and only one edge which constitutes a trailing edge,
a print head located adjacent the path for printing on pages moving along the path, and
at least one adhesive applicator to apply binding adhesive to said pages moving along the path.
Preferably the pages are driven along the path by a pair of pinch rollers.
Preferably the print head is located downstream of the pinch rollers.
Preferably the adhesive applicator is located downstream of the print head.
Alternatively, the adhesive applicator is located upstream of the print head.
Preferably the print head is a pagewidth print head.
Preferably the print head is an ink jet print head configured for applying droplets of ink to the pages on demand.
Preferably two print heads are provided, one at each side of the path.
Preferably said at least one adhesive applicator comprises two adhesive applicators, one at each side of the path.
Preferably the adhesive applicator is positioned not to contact the pages as they move along the path.
Alternatively, the adhesive applicator is configured to contact the pages and to be movable at a speed substantially equal to the speed at which the pages are conveyed along the path.
Preferably if the adhesive applicator is moveable, it is pivotally mounted adjacent the path.
Alternatively, the adhesive applicator can be a roller.
Where a pair of adhesive applicators is provided, one at each side of the page passing through the printer, the adhesive may be a two-part adhesive in which case one of said applicators might be adapted for applying one part of the two-part adhesive to one side of the page and the other applicator might be adapted for applying the other part of the two-part adhesive to the other side of the page.
The adhesive applicator might be configured to apply an adhesive strip adjacent the leading edge of each page.
As an alternative, the adhesive applicator might be configured to apply an adhesive strip adjacent the trailing edge of each page.
The adhesive applicator might be integral with the print head.
There is further disclosed herein a method of applying adhesive to pages moving through a printer, the method comprising:
conveying pages along a path,
printing matter on each page as the page moves along the path, and
applying binding adhesive to one or more of the pages as the page(s) move along the path.